Saving The World
by Doug2
Summary: The Charmed Ones find thmselves at Ground Zero, Sept 11 2001. Please review.


**Saving the World**

The low sun shone through the window of Franklin Investments as Phoebe, Piper and Prue sat around the desk of Michael Fredericks and his lawyer Harrison Winters. On Phoebe's face was a grin from ear to ear as Prue and Piper looked on in amusement.

"I never thought anything Clay ever started would amount to anything. Especially this," exclaimed Phoebe to Mr. Fredericks.

"Mr. Poole's seemingly minor penny stock investment in Biodrome blossomed in the last six months and with Cybertech's interest in controlling the whole company your piece of Biodrome has grown to over $200,000, Miss. Halliwell," explained Mr. Fredericks showing Phoebe her portfolio summary.

Phoebe leaned back in her chair fanning herself. Even Prue looked quite impressed. "I ..I ..we.. I just don't believe it!" stammered Phoebe trying to steady herself. Her chair just would not stay put at this extraordinary moment in her life.

"But I still don't see what prompted our need to fly clear across the country, not that I don't mind the suite at the Hilton," said Piper throwing her hair to one side. She had been quite intrigued since she had never been east of the Rocky Mountains.

"Your sister put the stock in all of your names. To turn it over to Cybertech Franklin Investments needs all of your signatures. They are eager to have all the major stock holders turn in their shares before the end of the quarter," said Mr. Winters in a rather bored tone.

"Major stockholders?" asked Prue leaning forward a bit. She found this one ring circus more and more interesting.

"Anyone have more than a two per cent interest has been classified as a major stockholder. Biodrome is small company, but just a couple of their recent patents are worth twice the value of the entire company," said Mr. Fredericks. "A highly prize commodity into today's economy."

"Maybe Phoebes, you should hold out for more. Hmm?" asked Prue as the two businessmen looked at each other nervously. Prue had more business savvy than her two sisters put together.

"No, I'm ready," said Phoebe. "That is enough to give me goose bumps. Maybe I can open that Wiccan ..uh ..Natural Medicine store I have been dreaming about. You know really put my college education to work," replied Phoebe. Looking over at Prue she seemed to give her an approving nod.

"But why us? How'd we get involved? We weren't exactly on full speaking terms when you left for the Big Apple!" said Piper.

"Clay had all these big plans going through his head. With this Biodrome deal he invested some of my own money without telling me. Though I was a little worried I laughingly trusted him at the time. When it came to finally signing the paperwork I just included my sisters' names to help watch my money. That was about all the money I had then. I had completely forgotten about it with all the other problems we've had lately until Mr. Winters called me on Saturday," explained Phoebe. "See? I was thinking about you two even during my darkness hours," said Phoebe raising her eyebrows, smiling at Piper and nodding to Prue.

"I never doubted you for a minute," said Piper scrunching her nose up at her. "And we get another business to run? Cool. So when do we put up a shingle for Halliwell Industries?" asked Piper.

"You want us to go corporate? Interesting concept, but we should talk it over with our lawyer first," said Prue with a bit of disbelief. She hadn't really planned to link the security of their little private enterprises though she did approve of Phoebe going after her dream.

"Mr. Fredericks, I'll take your offering. It's much better than what I've got right now, " said Phoebe as the two gentlemen let out a sigh of relief. The oldest Halliwell seemed to be a tough negotiator and the sooner they wrapped this up the better.

Mr. Winters turned to Phoebe and replied "And the price could go down if you do try to hold onto it."

"Humph," said Prue looking at the lawyer not appreciating the hard sales pitch.

"To complete your transaction please sign here, Miss Halliwell," said Mr. Fredericks pushing the paperwork over to Phoebe.

"Yes sir!" said a giddy Phoebe. This may not be the answer to all of her troubles and dreams but it is a good start, she thought. Her signature was short and sweet.

"There. Now you Mrs. Wyatt," he indicated to Piper.

"NO problem! I'll just put my Jane Hancock here," she said inscribing her beautiful almost calligraphic handwriting.

Phoebe looked down at Piper grinning and then looked out the window at the large airliner. It was strange that it was flying at such a low altitude and seemed to be making a beeline for their position on the sixty-seventh story of the number two tower of the World Trade Center. A shiver ran straight up her spine causing an alarm going off throughout her head.

"P-piper!" stuttered Phoebe in her voice that in the last three years met trouble requiring Piper's type of help.

Throwing up her fingers the two employees' of Franklin Investments froze solid. "What is it Phoebes? Trying for a cool mill?" she said sounding annoyed with a touch of irony in her voice.

"No look!" Phoebe yelled pointing at the airliner that was moment-by-moment coming closer and heading directly for them.

"What the hell?" exclaimed Prue as she walked toward the window. "Piper, give us some time here!"

Piper eyes opened wide and she explained pointing at the window, "I can't do anything from IN HERE!"

Prue took a hint, waved her hand and the bronze window popped out tumbling down to the street. The loud roar of the jet engines replaced the quiet hum of the air conditioner.

As the pilots became visible to the sisters Piper yelled "Grab my arms. Full power of three, please." She concentrated on the approaching aircraft. Throwing her entire force toward the airliner, it reached the window pushing in the glass and steel with its nose coming to rest six feet inside the office. The Halliwell's jumped backwards as the plane took up most of the small office. Furniture flew everywhere. Prue was amazed by the crazed look in eyes of the pilots. The airliner stuck out of the building like the bent prongs of a giant fork.

"How long will that hold?" asked Phoebe going over to touch the plane finding it quite solidly attached.

"Don't know. Never done that anything the size of a whale before! Um, Phoebes. You better tell the office staff to like blow this place before it goes up on its own. Prue and I have another job," said Piper heading over to the plane. Piper also jiggled the airline a bit convincing herself it wasn't going anywhere for now.

"And we're into non-demonic related lifesaving, too?" asked Phoebe looking very satisfied. "Cool!"

"First the innocent and then us. Kay?" asked Piper who didn't want to be left behind with the overgrown Piper Cub.

"Right! Hey, everybody! Plane heading this way! Head for the exits!" yelled out Phoebe to the other offices.

"And our task?" asked Prue. "Flown in planes. Never done the stewardess thing. Strange. They don't look like any pilots I've ever seen!"

"Well, put on your white hat and let's round up some innocents. Blow open that jet window and let's get those passengers off!" ordered Piper.

"Gotcha!" Prue squinted, concentrated on the front windows of the jet and blew a huge hole in the front of the plane. Glass and twisted metal filled the office.

Stepping through the newest emergency exit, Piper exclaimed, "Woo! Woo!" since they were hundreds of feet up above the plaza. Climbing into the cockpit they found the pilots not wearing any regulation uniforms.

"This is no accident," exclaimed a very pissed Piper. "These airheads were going to kill us!" Piper began to quickly rise to a boil at the thought of this obviously senseless and criminal act.

"Not if we have any say about it," snapped Prue. The cockpit was all in disarray with flight equipment, uniform parts and books thrown all over the floor. "Arabic?" exclaimed Prue looking at one of the strange flight manuals. "There appears to be a Middle Eastern connection here."

"And we're going to pull the plug on these terrorists! Now I'm really fighting mad!" cried out Piper kicking the mess on the floor.

"You and the rest of the free world, though it doesn't surprise me," said Prue throwing her hands about. "Something like this was going to happen sooner or later though it is way beyond our normal vanquishing duties."

Stepping through the cockpit door Prue found not one passenger sitting in first class "OK, no one in first class. Maybe the plane is stolen. Nope. Everyone is crouching in the back. And four more hijackers are back here carrying some type of knives," observed Prue. One quick wave of her hand and the hijackers were disarmed.

"You mean they took a whole plane full of people hostage with cutlery? This tale is getting weirder and weirder. Not too many passengers. Good. I count about fifty," said Piper. "All right, I'll unfreeze them one at a time. You get them out of this frozen pane. Then have Phoebe direct them down the steps. OK?"

"Roger, Captain Freeze," yelled back to Piper with a little twinkle in her eye. She knew that Piper was enjoying being in charge for once.

"And tell them the terrorists are sedated," Piper yelled back. "That will work, I hope," Piper said quietly to herself.

"Who cares? We blew our cover once this plane became permanently embedded in the side of the building," Prue thought to herself.

Whoosh! The first passenger became reanimated. "Where are we?" he said shaking his head clear.

"Don't ask questions. Emergency. Run to the front of the plane. Quickly now," said Piper turning him in the aisle toward the cockpit.

"What about the emergency exits?" he asked as she pushed him down the aisle and around the hijackers.

"Ha-ha. We are like totally beyond their range right now. Run! Run! Run!" Piper said waving her hands wildly.

Reaching the cockpit Prue directed him through the busted nose of the airliner.

Looking back the first passenger exclaimed, "Oh my GOD! What's holding up the plane?"

"Superglue. NOW GO! A nice lady will direct you to the nearest exit," Prue called to him. Passenger after passenger passed Prue in the cockpit each too shocked at the position of the frozen plane and frozen hijackers to move too quickly. The plane began to shake. "Don't unfreeze," Prue snapped at the plane. "Piper!" yelled Prue running to the back of the plane.

The door over the wing was opened. An escape ramp balloon inflated and then began flapping in the breeze. Holding on Piper stood in the emergency exit with her hair blowing along with the escape ramp. "Make like an ice cube and freeze, damn you!" Piper called talking to the airliner as she threw out her fingers giving it another dose of her magic.

Looking up Piper saw another airliner hurtling toward the number one World Trade Tower.

"I don't believe these guys! Look over there, Prue! Another suicide kamikaze terrorist son of a bitch!" Piper grabbed Prue's hand really hard and threw out her fingers toward it with all her might. The airliner stopped three hundred feet short of the building. Piper turned around jumping up and down hugging her big sister, "I actually stopped it! I REALLY stopped it, Prue! Did you see that? How's that being done?" Piper wondered out loud.

"Piper between holding onto me and your extra magical power from being extra pissed I'd say you packed one mega-magic punch! You're not the only Halliwell that has a big emotional knot in her gut," said Prue giving her an extra hug.

"After three years of demon hunting I guess I needed the release. OK, Miss Earhart, let's finish with these guys first," said Piper turning back into the plane.

Whoosh and the entire cabin except for the hijackers regained consciousness. "This is an emergency people! Proceed down the aisle, through the cockpit door and into the building," announced Prue. "Please you must proceed quickly and quietly."

"NO! Through the exits!" cried the stewardess pointing to the exit that Piper had just used.

"Take my word it's much safer that way," said Piper as she pointed to the ground hundreds of feet below.

The stewardess looked out the window and gasped.

"Scary isn't it? Help the people through the cockpit door. We have everything under control," said Piper calmly.

One of the pilots looked out the opened emergency door. "A plane this heavy can't hang off the side of a building like this. It violates all the laws of physics! "

"Well, you're in luck. I never studied physics," quipped Piper looking very cute. "Now move it, flyboy!"

As the last stewardess headed down the aisle the Halliwell's followed. "You sure sounded confident there," said Prue sounding a bit weird herself. "Piper I never heard you this much in command before."

"Years of facing down Grams and saving Phoebe's butt will do that for you. We better get off this frozen custard ourselves," said Piper falling in line behind the evacuees. Through the window they climbed as Phoebe ushered them to the nearest fire escape.

Inside the building the stewardess reported. "All out and accounted for except for the hijackers. That's the craziest sedative I've ever seen."

"You should see my club on a Sunday night! You guys are not going to be safe unless you vacate the building," said Piper looking down as building occupants started gathering in the plaza below and stared looking up at the airliner. The passengers headed for the exit that Phoebe pointed out to them. Then she went to rejoin her sisters in Mr. Fredericks' office that now doubled as an airplane hanger.

"Now before we have some really big troubles. What about a Boeing 757?" asked Piper. "Do we run, too?"

"No, my turn to try something big," Prue concentrated on the plane as it back out two hundred feet from the building as Piper's freeze held. Then she turned the plane so it pointed toward open water in New York Harbor.

"Impressive. You should get a job as a valet at the airport parking planes," said Piper smirking a bit. Though Piper still thought that her little stunt catching a plane so to speak rank a wee bit higher.

"An overpaid parking lot attendant? No thanks. Though after we finish this one, we may need the job. O.K. Piper. Release the plane!" said Prue who was still breathing hard from her earlier exertion.

Piper fired through the large hole in the office causing the airliner to spring forward. The blast from the jet engines knocked both of them down. The jet flew off at 600 miles an hour quickly hitting the water breaking into a million pieces and sank into the harbor. Thousands of small items and a large pool of petroleum rose to the surface. The petroleum ignited setting off several small fires floating on the water.

"God. Look at that mess," said Prue holding her breath.

"Better there than here," replied Piper folding up her hands and sighing.

"There must have been a better way though nothing comes to mind. How do you deal with people like this?" asked Prue.

Piper turned around to her sister. "Too bad they can't be vanquished."

Phoebe came running back in. "I checked. Everyone's heading down the steps. This floor is deserted, but I hear something like the law heading this way. Um, why is that plane hanging from some skyhook over there?" asked Phoebe looking perplexed even for a little witch.

"More importantly, how do we get it down from seven hundred feet in the air with passengers intact?" asked Prue starring at the frozen Boeing 757.

"Hmmm. There might be a way," said Piper raising one eyebrow. "Ever climb down a mountain?"

Twenty minutes later a green Army Huey hovered very near to the frozen airliner in the clear blue morning sky.

"Can I land on the wing, miss?" asked the Army pilot turning to Piper who was strapped in behind him. Three other Army Rangers sat next to her.

"Can't say, don't know! I wouldn't try it. Better just try shimmying down," replied a not too confident Piper.

One Ranger exited the copter, repelled down to the wing and fastened himself to the plane next to the emergency exit. Pulling open the emergency door, he went inside and heard nothing except for the sound of the copter. Even the veteran Army officer was stunned seeing a plane full of terrified frozen statues. The second ranger who had just joined them was equally stunned. Outside another figure in green Army camouflage gear was lowered to the wing. Grabbing on tightly to the doorframe, her hat blew off revealing Piper Halliwell. White as a sheet she was helped into the plane.

"Whoaa! If I didn't have any fear of heights that gave it to me. Solid ground at last!" said a cheerier Piper as she zipped off the jacket.

"This here jet, mam, isn't on solid anything!" said one Ranger still not too sure of his situation.

"I know," smiled Piper patting her soldier on the arm. "Everything will be fine as long as we keep moving."

Pulling back a bit he asked, "And you all deed this yae-self?"

"Yes. Just one of the secrets of my trade," smiled Piper looking around counting the passengers.

"What sort of trade is that?" asked the Ranger as he started pulling in a load of gear from the copter.

"A secret. We told those government guys no questions for now. I counted fifty-seven plus whoever is in the cockpit. Set up your slide line with those nice gentlemen down on that skyscraper. Time is short," said Piper with some urgency.

The Rangers connected a line between the plane and the closest building and ordered five-dozen extra slide harnesses from another copter that joined the first. Two more Rangers repelled into the Boeing 757.

"So you can bring them back to life one at a time?" asked the Army Captain who just joined them.

"Yep. And you guys have to slide them down," replied Piper.

"Incredible," said the Captain shaking his head.

"I don't really know how long this plane is going to sit still. We'll start with the stewardesses so they can help us with the other passengers," suggested Piper who brought two of them back to life.

"AHHHHHH!" one of the stewardesses screamed seeing the Army officers in their working clothes.

"Hey, everything is safe. Your boogiemen are under control. See?" Piper said very quietly. "We have to get these passengers out of here."

"Just open up the slides and we can.. Jesus!" cried the stewardess as she looked out the already opened door.

"Mam, Captain Lewis, U.S. Army Rangers. We have orders to slide each of your passengers and crewmembers from the aircraft to the rooftop below. Please line up the passengers and keep them calm," explained the Captain.

"Calm? They're catatonic!" exclaimed the other stewardess while trying to shake one of the passengers.

"Not for long!" exclaimed Piper as she only unfroze the remaining passengers and crewmembers.

"Ladies and gentlemen, I'm am Captain Lewis! We have an emergency situation here under extraordinary circumstances. It suffices to say that each of you must evacuate the plane by slipping into on of these harnesses and ride down the wire to Trade Tower building number seven. Children and those who wish assistance can be taken piggyback by one of our Rangers. Time and the number of available Rangers is short. Please let's move it," said the Captain.

One of the passengers looked at the frozen hijacker. "What's with him?"

Piper looked down and quickly said "Sedative."

"Sure knew they were high on something. Groovy," he replied looking rather fascinated at his inanimate tormentor.

"Sir, you're first. Hang on. Clip secure. Release," said the Captain as the other Ranger let go and the passenger slid down the line while swinging in the breeze. He was caught by Rangers and New York City policemen positioned on the roof of number seven World Trade Center.

"Now, mam. Hang on. Clip on secure. Mam, the lieutenant has you tight. He's going to let go," said Captain Lewis.

"No, no! I can't do that," screamed the woman hysterically.

"Mam, no problem really. Just like a theme part ride. Close your eyes. You'll be fine. OK, Release," he said to the lieutenant who let her go. She screamed all the way down to the rooftop.

Most of the passengers went easily once they saw others make it safely. With some urging it took a bit for the crew to abandon the plane. Finally Piper and the two remaining Rangers were alone with the still frozen hijackers.

"What about the Demon Barbers here?" asked Piper.

"We have orders to bring them in," said Captain Lewis pulling out handcuffs and some reinforced nylon rope.

"All right. Hog tie 'em first," said Piper as the plane jerked. "Whoa! Freeze damn you!" said Piper taking care of the jet yet again. "Not too much longer, gentlemen."

Very quickly the Rangers secured the prisoners and Piper unfroze them. They cursed at the American dogs until they saw that the plane was hanging in midair with no visible means of support. Yelling to Allah in Arabic, each of them of them was quickly attached to the guide wire and send down to the waiting arms of the F.B.I.

"That is still one strange tal-ant you have there, Mam," said the southern Ranger just prior to riding down the line himself.

"It's a gift," said Piper as she put on one of the harnesses.

"You sure, you want to get back on the chopper? That isn't easy even for an experienced trooper, Mam," explained the Captain.

"If were going to finish this job, than I'm needed there," sighed Piper. A line was dropped from the copter and Piper hooked herself on. Feeling like a fish, she was hoisted hanging seven hundred feet in the air onto the noisy vibrating chopper. This time Prue and Phoebe were waiting for her.

"All safe and accorded for. Now let's finish this awful business," said a very stressed out Piper.

"Piper, it never will be finished! Another plane was crashed into the Pentagon less than an hour ago," said Phoebe. "Many people were killed in the plane and on the ground."

"Damn! Why do they do this to us!" cried Piper feeling like the work that she had done was all in vain.

"Hey sweetie, we can't save the whole world," Prue reminded Piper for the umpteenth time. She had always wished back at home they could do more than was magically possible.

"We've always specialized in our own little corner, Piper. Today we went a lot further than that," said Phoebe smiling sweetly. "Be proud about those we did save. More innocents in one day than we did in three years of demon fighting."

"Also two hundred lives were saved in these planes and who knows how many in the World Trade Center," added Prue putting her hand on her shoulder.

"I know," said Piper wiping her eyes. "But it still hurts."

"Come on, sweetie. Let's just finish this here and head home," said Prue. "Time for another Charmed One special," Prue smiled and then twirled her arm around as the plane changed heading and pointed toward the Hudson River. Then she tilted it to hit the middle of the river. "Hope my aim is true."

As Piper started to dry her eyes to remove the hex, the freeze wore off for the final time as the engine roar started up again. The plane skimmed across building rooftops and plunged into the Hudson, skipping once and then breaking into large sections that individually cracked into miniscule pieces. Some of the debris skipped across the water and slammed into the buildings on the Jersey side.

"Um. Not so good," winced Prue closing her eyes and looking down.

"Ever use a dart that big before?" asked Phoebe giving Prue her own all knowing look that she had received many times.

"Ah, no," Prue replied.

"Then I'd say you hit the bull's eye," smiled Phoebe.

Prue nodded in agreement.

Piper even looked a little better. Phoebe gave the pilot a 'thumbs-up' and motioned to head for the ground.

"Well, we blew our cover this time," said Piper shouting over the engine and vibration.

"Life is going to be never the same again," agreed Prue shaking her head.

"But isn't it worth it? Who knows what disaster it could have been. Maybe tens of thousands might have been killed! We'll just have to suffer some inconveniences," said Phoebe looking at both of her sisters trying to find a silver lining in all their troubles.

"Inconveniences? Phoebes, they'll probably lock us up and throw away the key," said Piper furling her brow. They had been through this media circus before.

"I don't plan on going to prison," explained Phoebe shaking her head. "Been there, done that."

"And what's you're alternative, Ms. Johnny Cochrane?" asked Prue who was now thoroughly confused.

"Magic, of course. Maybe we could have a change of place, venue, identity. We can solve this one. I know it. The Charmed Ones will ride again," smiled Phoebe. "We know how to use our magic and that will come to our rescue without worrying about those little old consequences. And since my Cole and your Leo are in on our little secret, then we can still be all together. And with my little windfall courtesy of my ex, we can have an easy time starting over."

"Give up our lives?" asked Piper sounding worried. The prospect did not sound good to her.

"Phoebe's right. Think of all those people who might have given up all their lives," replied Prue now thinking that Phoebe was making sense. "Others gave up their lives in Washington today."

"Whoa. That's a lot to take in, but I guess you're right. We reacted to save a lot of innocents today. And if it means we have to start over, then by God that's what were going to do! OK guys, lets get home!" said Piper as the copter banked and headed into the noon day sun.

Prue was right. The world will never be the same again.

THE END


End file.
